The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-04-11

affair, and was being settled by the
family solicitors without any further
appeal to the law.
There was only two other passen.
gers in his compartment, and to rouse
himself from his gloomy abstraction
no began listening to their converse
ton. They were both young, rather
sporting looking men, and one had
evidently been describing to the other
the personal appearance OF some un'
known lady.
"She's thorough little beauty,
tell you, and hatter myself Pm a
good Judge" was his enthusiastic con
clusion. shouldn't mind travelling uI
to town with her myself"
"Why don't you then, came IN
answer.
The first speaker laughed. mdaren't
my boy. She has a gorgon OF q maid
with her, who is even more freezing
than this beastly weather. Tell you
what, though, at the next station I'll
try to get her some tea or something,
and that'll pave the way to chat"
Chalioner frowned involuntarily.
Such talk was peculiarly distasteful
to HIM; and for the first timeit struck
him that for the future his Madge
would be open to any and every chance
insult which men such rs his
fellow-travelers might choose to put
upon her. The very thought OF il
made his blood boil. Madge was sc
pretty, so young, and in many ways
so thoughtless, that, even more than
another, she might be madeto feel her
unprotected state; and whatever
might happen, he himself would bt
rowerless to shield her. He became
so absorbed in this new thought that
he hardly noticed when the creeping
train came to a standstill; and it was
only when a sudden blast OF cold air
made it apparent that his companions
had thrown down the window and
were leaning out that he reused him
self to inquire the cause. He was put
ting his head out OF his own window
to look about him when the guard
came along the footboard, feeling his
way laboriously in the binding snow
and shouting at the top OF his voice
that all passengers were to descend.
Instantly all was in confusion. Cries
OF why? What's the matter? Are we
in danger? and guard guard re-
sounded on all sides. Immediately
the younger OF his companions unfast-
ened the door and calculating, "Now
for that pretty girl" jumped out;
while the other more slowly collected
his wraps and observed that he "sup'
posed the snow had been too much
for the engine
This indeed proved to be the case;
and. after some pardonable grumbling,
Challoner got out ofthe train and fol
lowed in the track Of these who were
picking their way toward n roadside
station at some forty yards distance.
As he did so he caught the rough, per.
suasive tones OF his late companion:
Really now, you had better take my
arm; we shall get on first-rate."
The door OF q first-class carriage
was swinging open, and standing be-
fore it-so directly in his path that
Challoner almost fell over hinl-was
the young gentleman who had vaunt-
ed his appreciation of feminine beau
ty. Naturally Challoner's glance fol.
lowed his, and although he could not
distinguish the lady's features he was
becoming dimly conscious that the
brown velvet coat was strangely IA
miliar, when she spoke a few words in
n tone which sent the blood rapidly
coursing through his veins: 'Thank
you; | will not trouble you; my maid
is with me-"
Madge's voice. Challoner dropped
his rugs, scrambled up on to the foot
board, and held out his arms. "Come
down at oncel" he cried authorize.
lively. at may not be safe for you
to stay there. Jump, and I'll catch
you. May | trouble you to get out OF
my way, Sir? This lady is my wife"
Madge flung herself instantly into
the outstretchsd arms, and burst into
hystercal sobbing. "0h John, John!
have been so cold and so frightened.
And the light in our carriage went out,
and thought something might hap
pen TO the train and hurt you"
"Why, Madge?"
Never before had Challoner seen his
wife so thoroughly unhinged and
frightened, and his heart gave a great
leap rs he echoed her last wosds:
Hurt mel OF course not. But how
came you to be travelling to town?
Why didn't you stay in Edinburgh?
DO you think you have taken cold?"
He asked the questions all in BREATH
but when she began explaining that
she wanted to spend Christmas in
town with her aunt, he hastily cut
her short.
"There is no time to talk; we must
get on to the station. Parker this
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